46: Qualitative Methods

David Waldner, University of Virginia, daw4h@virginia.edu

The study of representation has provoked methodological reactions from a distinguished list of political scientists. Classic works such as Hanna Pitkin's The Concept of Representation, Christopher Achen's "Measuring Representation: Perils of the Correlation Coefficient," and William Riker's "The Two-Party System and Duverger's Law: An Essay on the History of Political Science," have taught us how to approach concept formation, measurement, causal inference, and scientific progress while simultaneously illuminating the structure and processes by which power is used by some to act, legitimately or illegitimately, in the name of others. The Organized Section on Qualitative and Multi-Method Research encourages papers that will spark renewed interest in the methodologically astute study of representation, as well as papers that represent best practices in qualitative methods and in the integration of qualitative with quantitative, experimental, and formal methods. The section embraces the widest possible interpretation of qualitative methods, from descriptive case studies to cross-sectional and longitudinal forms of causal inference, from the interpretation of social and political discourses, practices and texts to the _ne-grained compilation of evidence through archival research and interviews. Regardless of approach, the section emphasizes transparency, replicability, and validity, and welcomes all efforts to advance these goals. Central to the growth of knowledge is criticism, and we particularly welcome work that critically interrogates existing work in qualitative methods while suggesting new investigative techniques.